Army test next generation nano drone - the Black Hornet

Army test next generation nano drone - the Black Hornet

It may look like a child’s toy - but this tiny remote control helicopter has become massively important to the Army in the fight against the Taliban

High flyer: Sgt Scott Weaver launches a drone

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It may look like a child’s toy - but this tiny remote control helicopter has become massively important to the Army in the fight against the Taliban.
Troops in Afghanistan program the Black Hornet drone to fly deep into enemy territory and take pictures with three tiny cameras fitted in its nose before returning to base.

The 8in drones are so small that they can fit easily in a soldier’s hand and weigh just over half an ounce including their batteries.
They are being used by soldiers from the Brigade Reconnaissance Force at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.

Mission: The Black Hornet takes off at Camp Bastion

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Child's play: The remote control helicopter in the air

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  Commanding officer Major Adam Foden, 53, said: “Black Hornet is a game-changing piece of kit.
"Previously, we would have had to send soldiers forward to see if there were any enemy fighters hiding inside a set of buildings.
"Now we are deploying Black Hornet to look inside compounds and to clear a route through enemy-held spaces.
“It has worked very well and the pictures it delivers back to the monitor are really clear and Black Hornet is so small and quiet that the locals can’t see or hear it.”
The Black Hornet has a rechargeable battery and is controlled by members of the unit using a joystick similar to those on video games .
The drone can fly at speeds of up to 22mph during each 30-minute reconnaissance mission.
As it hovers near enemy positions, high-resolution images are beamed back to Camp Bastion.
One soldier said: “The Black Hornet is really cool. The pictures are amazingly clear and we can see who is a local civilian and who is a Taliban fighter and whether any weapons are being stored there.
“We can then make our plans accordingly. It saves a lot of time and prevents a lot of mistakes.
"It can zoom right up to somebody’s face and hold that frame for as long as is required so we can identify them without them even knowing it’s there.”
 
Hi-tech and deadly
British soldiers operating in Afghanistan are equipped with a variety of hi-tech equipment.
The latest rifle – the SA80 A2 – is fitted with a high-definition sight which helps them to pinpoint targets more quickly.
The A2 has a range of up to 300 metres and has been used to devastating effect.
It is superior to its predecessors because it is fully automatic and sealed so less likely to get sand in it.
Troops are also supplied with state-of-the-art sunglasses which protect them from bomb blasts as well as sunlight.
The glasses are fitted with yellow lenses which enable them to make eye contact with civilians – which is seen as highly important when communicating.